{"id":41823,"date":"2019-02-13T23:53:30","date_gmt":"2019-02-14T04:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=41823"},"modified":"2019-02-14T11:55:09","modified_gmt":"2019-02-14T16:55:09","slug":"wednesdays-video-phalas-ring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/wednesdays-video-phalas-ring\/","title":{"rendered":"Wednesday&#8217;s Video:  Phala&#8217;s Ring"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I already blogged about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/jewel-of-the-month-ring-redesign-with-rubies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">February&#8217;s Jewel of the Month<\/a> &#8212; Phala&#8217;s redesigned ring &#8212; but I now have better video showing the piece before, during, and after the process.<\/p>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/s-bIPHm0qOg\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<p>More importantly, I have Phala&#8217;s own description of what led to her redesign project and what the ring symbolizes for her. Even though it&#8217;s a sad story, it&#8217;s still a love story, and Valentine&#8217;s Eve feels like the right time to share it. Here&#8217;s what she wrote:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8220;In April of 2017, I lost my darling husband, Joe, suddenly and unexpectedly. I was a widow at 55, navigating a life I never expected. One of the major decisions was what to do with my wedding rings. Joe and I shared a July birthday, so he picked rings that had both diamonds and our birthstone, rubies. \u2800<br \/>\n\u2800<br \/>\nI knew Wendy Brandes redesigned jewelry, so I got in touch. I was especially drawn to two rings she redesigned previously, both of which had a viney, romantic feel. I really loved the idea of making my two rings into a single &#8216;Widow\u2019s Ring.&#8217; \u2800<br \/>\n\u2800<br \/>\nWendy did a beautiful job, incorporating all the stones from my two rings into a single unique piece that both pays tribute to the love Joe and I shared and lets me carry the remembrance of that love with me always on my right hand. I particularly love the placement of the rubies under the main setting and in the band &#8212; I think it&#8217;s like our hearts, mine and Joe&#8217;s. Apart for now, but always together too.&#8221;<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>I&#8217;m glad Phala found her way to me, particularly because many of my designs over the years have been inspired by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2014\/08\/mourning-at-the-metropolitan-museum\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">antique mourning jewelry<\/a>. It&#8217;s never been just the look of that jewelry that appeals to me, but the meaning of it. I get very emotional looking at a ring from 1661, for instance, and knowing that someone wore it against his or her skin to keep the memory of a loved one literally close at hand.<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BticYOenym9\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"12\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BticYOenym9\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\"> View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<p style=\" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/BticYOenym9\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading\" style=\" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;\" target=\"_blank\">Between the volatile nature of society in 1661 and the massive social change that came with it, a ring of such high quality should be seen as the template for others to follow. Its personal nature relates the ring directly to Samuel, from its design to its hair, ensuring that a loving token could be passed through generations of the Nicholets family.  #mementomori #mourningring #skull #death #yolo #coatofarms #crossbones<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\">A post shared by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/artofmourning\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;\" target=\"_blank\"> Art Of Mourning<\/a> (@artofmourning) on <time style=\" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;\" datetime=\"2019-02-06T11:11:08+00:00\">Feb 6, 2019 at 3:11am PST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>And how amazing is it to think that centuries later, because of a piece of jewelry, we know that a man named Samuel lived, died, and was mourned by his family. It&#8217;s a tiny piece of immortality, and I&#8217;m truly honored to have had the opportunity to create a modern-day equivalent for Phala and Joe.<\/p>\n<p>For the still photos of Phala&#8217;s redesign, see my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/jewel-of-the-month-ring-redesign-with-rubies\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">original post<\/a>. For more historical mourning jewelry, I highly recommend the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/artofmourning\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Art of Mourning Instagram accoun<\/a>t.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I already blogged about February&#8217;s Jewel of the Month &#8212; Phala&#8217;s redesigned ring &#8212; but I now have better video showing the piece before, during, and after the process. More importantly, I have Phala&#8217;s own description of what led to her redesign project and what the ring symbolizes for her. Even though it&#8217;s a sad&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/wednesdays-video-phalas-ring\/\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[291,601,295,719,657,578,6,1291],"tags":[1896,1375,1251,1897,1895,1894],"class_list":{"0":"post-41823","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-featured-jewel","7":"category-inspiration","8":"category-jewel-of-the-month","9":"category-jewelry","10":"category-mourning-jewelry","11":"category-redesigns","12":"category-rings","13":"category-video-about-wendy","14":"tag-memorial-jewelry","15":"tag-mourning-jewelry","16":"tag-redesigned-engagement-ring","17":"tag-ring-redesign","18":"tag-sentimental-jewelry","19":"tag-widows-ring","20":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41823"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41823\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41828,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41823\/revisions\/41828"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}